Electric-cord protector.



0. R. DODGE.

ELECTRIC CORD PROTECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 2. 191a.

Patented Jan. 1, 1918.

2 SHEQTS-SHEET l- C. R. DODGE.

ELECTRIC CORD PROTECTOR.

APPLICATYION FILED NOV. 2. 191 6- 1 5L99L R v I v Patented Jan1,1918. ZSHEETS-SHEETZ- ctavnn n. noncn, or SALT LAKE our, UTAH.

ELECTRIC-CORD PROTECTOR.

To allwhom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, CLAupn'R. Donor,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Salt Lake City, in the county of Salt Lake 5 and State of Utah, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric- Cord Protectors, ofwhichthe following is a specification.

The present invention has as its object breaking at orv near the point where it oonnectswith the plug or with the appliance to be supplied with electric current such,

for example, as a vacuum cleaner, electric fiatiron, or the like. In the use of such appliances the cord is likely to be bent back and forth at or near its point of connection with the appliance and this, together with pulling strains liable to be imposed upon the cord when it becomes tensioned, soon results in the conductor wires being broken and indeed torn apart and necessitating repairs if indeed more serious results are not caused.

The present invention therefore aims to provide means for preventing .the cord reaking at its point of connection with the appliance or plug, which means ,will not appreciably interfere with flexing of the cord at this point and will also serve as a shock absorbing means in the event attempt is made to carry the appliance beyond'the length of the cord.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of one embodiment of the invention employed in connection with the handle of a vacuum cleaner. I

Fig. 2 is a detail side elevation of the device shown in Fig. 1 removed from the cord.

Fig. 3 is a section taken substantially on the llne 3- -3 of Fig.1.

Fig. 4 is a view partly in sideelevatmn and partly in longitudinal sectlon lllllS- trating a modification of the inventlon.

Fig.5 is a detail side elevation of one end of the structure shown in Fig. 4'.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of one of the plug sections shown in F gs. 4 and 5.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a further modification of the invention.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view illustrating in detail a portion of the structure shown in Fig. 7. e

In that form of the invention shown n Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the device comprises a mem Spoifieation of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 2, 1916. Serial No. 129,206.

to provide means to prevent an electric cord her which is 2 formed from resilient wire bent toform a relatively long intermediate coil'indicat'ed by the numeral 1, a relatively short terminal coil indicated by the numeral '2 and another terminal coil indicated by the numeral 3, the coils being located normally in alinement and the terminal .coils being. 1 I

connected with the ends of the intermediate coil by open turns 4. It will be understood t5 that the wire forming the member which has just been described is continuous throughout the entire length of the member and all of the turns are of the same diameter except that several of the turns at the end of i the coil 2 are of larger diameter than the other turns as indicated by the numeral 5, so as to form an annular head or shoulder which serves a purpose which will now be explained. In Fig. 1 of the drawings the device is illustrated as employed in connection with the handle of a vacuum cleaner, which handle is indicated by the numeral 6, and is provided with the usual hand grip 7 which is grasped for the purpose of .mov-

ing the cleaner over the surface to be cleaned. In its under or rear side the shank of the ip 7 is formed with an opening indicated y the numeral 8 and in assembling the \device embodying the present invention with the said grip 7 the device is fitted through the opening 8 in such, manner that the end portion of the coil 2 will be received within the opening and the head -5 comprising the larger turns of the said coil will rest against v the inner side of the said shank of the grip 7, the device being in this manner prevented from being pulled from connection with the said grip. In order to secure the coil 2 in place within the opening a set screw. 9 ,is 9.5 fitted through one wall of the opening and bears against the said coil, as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. It is preferable that a sleeve 10 of rubber or other suitable material be fitted within the coil 2 in the 10 and consequently through the coil 2 and through the open turn 4 which connects the said coil 2 with the intermediate coil 1, after which the conductor wire is looped or tied in a knot, as indicated at 12, and is thence loosely wound several times about 11o the coil 1, as indicated at 13'. The conductor wire is then pased throughthe other Patented an. 1, rare.

'23. earner I and 3 and that the conductor cord is prevented from twisting back. and forth as the cleaner is moved over the surface to be cleaned and the cord is, therefore, not liable to become broken or worn. It will further more be understood that if the slack in the conductor Wire beyond the device is suddenly taken up or becomes entangled with surrounding objects, the coils comprising the device will become stretched, thereby absorbing the shock incident to the sudden tensioning of the conductor cord and, of

' first three figures just. described and comprises an intermediate coil 15, an end coil 16, and an end coil. 17, the coils 16 and 17 being connected with the ends of the coil 15 by open turn 18. In this form of the invention, however, the turn of the coil 15 is of considerably less diameter than the turn of the coils 16 and 17 so that when the conductor cord is wrapped or wound about the coil 15 the device as a whole will occupy less space than if the coil 15 were of the same diameter as the said coils 16 and 17. The

coil 16 has its end turn of greater diameter than its other turn so as to form a head 19 corresponding to the head 5 and the said coil has fitted therein a sleeve 20 corresponding to the sleeve 10. In this form of the invention the conductor cord, instead of being passed directly through the coil 17 which corresponds to the coil 3 in the previously described form, is fitted to a bushing which is split or divided longitudinally into sections 21 and in applying the bushing to the cord the cord is first wrapped with several turns of tape, as indicated at 22, after which the sections 21 comprising the bushing are assembled about the cord and the bushing is threaded into the coil 17, the turn of this coil being slightly spaced as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings, to lit within a spiral groove 23 formed in the outer surface of the said bushing sections 21. The sections 21 are formed with portions 2% which match in the assembled position of the sections so as to form a head which may be grasped for the purpose of threading the 24 be knurled or roughened so that a firm hold may be secured. The sections 21 are interiorly substantially semi-cylindrical and are corrugated, serrated, or otherwise roughened as at 25 50 as to prevent slippingwof the wire or conductor cord through the said bushing. At the same time itwill be understood that the roughened surface 25 will in no Way injure the insulation of the cord due to the fact that the cord is wrapped with the tape 22. I

That form of the invention shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings is designed particularly for use in connection with the conductor cord leading to an electric iron. In the use of such an iron the cord isliable to come in contact with the arm or become entangled therewith, causing annoyance and interfering with the ironing operation. Therefore, the form of the device shown in Fig. 7 is designed to be interposed in the length of the said cord at a suitable point and to be so constructed that normally a considerable portion of the length of the cord will be takenv up by the device and yet the cord may be drawn taut to utilize the greater portion of the said length. This form of the device includes an intermediate coil indicatedby the numeral-26 and terminal coils 27 and 28 connected therewith by open turns 29. In this instance the coil 26 is of greater diameter than the coils 27 and 28 and the conductor cord. is relatively loosely wound about the coil 26 so that a considerable portion of the length of the cord will be taken up whenthe coil is contracted. In order to prevent slipping or displacement of the cord with relation to the coil 26, coil eyes 30 are fitted at intervals about the turns of the coil 26 and the conductor cord is passed through these eyes in the manner clearly shown in Fig. 7. v If desired, the coils 16 and 19 may be dipped in molten solder or the like to form a coating 81 which will serve to stifien the said coils to the desired degree.

lit will be understood, of course, that the primary object of the invention is to provide means for preventing the conductor cord from becoming broken when constantly bent back and forth and that the principles of the invention are based on the fact that a cord wound in the form of a coil may be bent back and forth without likelihood of breaking.

Having thus described the invention, what- 2. A device of the class described, includ-v ing an expansible resilient coil and means at the ends of the coil for connection with a flexible conductor cord.

3. A device of the class described, in-

eluding an intermediate coil and end coils, the said coils being all located in alinement,

and means connecting the endcoils with the ible conductor cord electrically connected therewith, of a flexible resilient member extendin from the appliance and supporting the adJacent portion of the said cord, the cord being coiled about the said flexible member and attached to the outer 'end thereof.

5. The combination with an appliance to be supplied with electric current and a flexible conductor cord electrically connected therewith, of a flexible resilient element extending from the appliance and constituting a support for the cord, the said cord being attached to the said element adjacent the inner end thereof and being also attached to the said element at the outer end thereof and between its attached portions being coiled about the said element.

6. The combination with an appliance to be supplied with electric current, and a flexible conductor cord electrically connected therewith, of a flexible supporting element extending from the appliance. and consti *tuting a support for the said cord the cord being coiled about the central portion of the said supporting element and the said central portion of the said element being flexible to a greater degree than the end portions I thereof.

7 The combination with an appliance to be supplied with electric current and a flex-.

v ible conductor cord electrically connected therewith, of a flexible resilient supporting element connected to and extending from the appliance and constituting asupport for the said cord, .the cord being wound several turns around said support and attached to the outer end of the support.

. 8. The combination with an appliance to be supplied with electric current and a flexible conductor cord electrically connected therewith, of a flexible resilient supporting element connected to and extending from the appliance and constituting a support for the saidcord, said support being rigid at its end where it'connects withthe appliance, and the cord being wound around the flexible portion of the support and connected to the outer portion thereof.

9. The combination with an appliance to be supplied with electric current and a flexible conductor cord electrically connected therewith, ofa supporting element connected with the appliance, said supporting element being rigid where it connects with the appliance and resilient andfle'xible a distance from the appliance, the said support having an opening therein, and the said cord being wound around the flexible portion of the support and connected therewith at the outer end of the wound portion, the cord entering the said support through said opening and extending through the interior thereof a short distance to the end thereof, the portion of the supporting element through which the-cord passes being less flexible than the portion around which the cord is wound, whereby the supporting element for the conductor cord is more flexible along the intermediate portion thereof where,the conductor cord is wound about it, than it is at the outer end thereof.

10. The combination with an appliance to be supplied with electric current and a flexi= ble conductor cord electrically connected therewith, ,of a flexible supporting elementv connected with and extending from the appliance, the cord being'wound around said flexible element and connected to the outer end thereof, the said element supporting the cord in its wound condition and rendering the Wound. length of the cord more flexible than the rest of the cord. A

In testimony whereof I aflix my signalunua,v I I -GLAUDE R. DODGE. [1 s,] 5 

